Alien Invasion
by Ana Mizuki
Summary: A youth known as Benjamin Karbunkle learns how cruel life can be.
1. Chapter 1

Alien Invasion

Benjamin had always known he was different, even in the kindergarten. Sure, red hair was very rare for a young boy living in east Germany. But that wasn't what made him so different, it was his family. His mother, Gendal Karbunkle had been famous around the country before Benjamin's birth. Since then, she had been practically cast out of the spotlight. Benjamin sighed and rubbed his red hair in thought, this class could have been far more interesting than it was. His teacher was raving about Stalin and communism, typical subject and repeated too many times for Benjamin's liking. He tapped his pencil against his notebook while listening with half ear about the soviet union. All the students were sitting still, like in some-sort of a army. Benjamin looked at his history book, full of dull writing, oh how he wished the day was over.

When he finally got home, he quietly walked past his mother, who was sleeping. From drinking too much no doubt, Benjamin muttered to himself and closed the door to his room. It wasn't really furnished, just a desk, a bookshelf, a bed and a tattered old carpet. His mother couldn't afford more. Benjamin sat down on the floor and was just about to start doing his homework when a brick came through the window.  
" Hey freak! Come out so that we can beat you" shouted someone from the outside. Benjamin growled slightly and ignored the taunts. Then a rock flew, it didn't hit him, but his reading lamp was history. Benjamin was bemused for a moment, but then a white hot rage filled him. He didn't think of much, he just ran outside and towards the three men that were waiting outside his window.

That could have ended nastily, Benjamin could have been beaten to death and his mother raped. But that didn't happen, instead, a strange glow from the sky captured them.

Lord Oltterman watched with his head scientist, an insectoid creature known simply as Mange, as the four humans were transported to the ship. But as Oltterman looked at the four, one of them wasn't very human looking. Instead, it looked like some sort of a bastard child between human and Xenan. Oltterman was horrified, but Mange was curious about the youth. So the scientist ordered his assistants to bring the child to his laboratory. 

Benjamin woke up, his head hurt and the floor seemed to shake.  
" Well well, so you woke up.." a high pitched, scrathing voice said. Benjamin tried to stand up, but his tendecy to get motion sickness kept him nailed to the floor, gasping. A man walked next to him, no it wasn't a man. All men Benjamin had known didn't have green scaly skin, antennae and...didn't make those horrible screeching noises while moving their mouth. Benjamin stared at the man, he wanted to scream, was this a dream. Yes, that was it, it was just a silly lucid dream about space invasion.  
" You earthling probably don't know who am I, am I correct?" the alien said. Benjamin staggered to speak, but only whimpers came out, the alien grinned. Unfortunately, it had three rows of sharp teeth to double with it's otherwise ugly appearance, Benjamin gave out a girly scream. The monster only laughed more.  
" Yes, you are scared of me, just like any half-breed mutt should" the creature snickered. Of course, all it's talking meant nothing to Benjamin, mainly because the monster spoke english. Secondly, the teen was still too shocked to do anything but stare at the monster. Luckily for him, the monster decided to leave after few yells, leaving the teen in total darkness of a unknown room.


	2. Chapter 2

That night wasn't one of the best Benjamin had had, the floor vibrated, like it was moving. That made him even more seasick than he was before. But that wasn't his main problem right at that moment, no, he was crying his eyes out. He felt sick and cold, alone. He was too scared to move, yet the floor was too hard and confusing to sleep on. He stayed awake that nigh, lying in fetal position and shaking from fear. 

Morning edged over him slowly, though he wasn't sure was it even morning, there was no light. Benjamin blinked few times, he still couldn't see anything. But he wasn't shaking anymore, nor did he feel like vomiting. Touching the floor he noticed why, the floor had ceased to vibrate completely. Benjamin tried to stand up, but fell to his knees after the first try. He was still too weak to move.   
" Oh dear mother, where am I?" he muttered and started thinking. The monster had called him a half-breed, was it a national socialist in a suit trying to scare him? If true, it had to be one pretty convincing one to trick him. His pondering came to a sudden stop when the lights flashed on, resulting a whimper from the teen.   
The voice of the monster roared something, Benjamin looked up, it still looked like a monster out of a film from America. Or Japan, more likely. It looked at him angrily and Benjamin would have tried to inform it that he really didn't know english, when a horrible stench reached his nose. Benjamin jumped up and gagged from the smell.  
" Mange, it's not from the Anglish country, seems that it doesn't understand you" came a slightly raspy, deep voice. When Benjamin looked at it's direction, he was sure he was going to have a heart attack. It was a huge, two legged...he wasn't sure what kind of fish it was, but it was a fish nonetheless. And it spoke german.  
" Excuse me sir, but where am I?" he asked almost immediately, hoping that the fish was a little more friendly.  
" So I was right, it understands this odd language. Now Mange, set your translator to 'ger-man' and start the experiments" the fish said, Benjamin felt like it had hit him to the face with a wall. The monster, now revealed to be Mange sniccered. Benjamin couldn't help but be reminded by a witch from fairytales. Mange reached for it's ear, and started poking inside, few drops of blood falling to the floor. Strange sounds started coming out it's throat, Benjamin covered in fear. Finally, it made a few gurgled sounds and started speaking german. It came closer to Benjamin raised it's clawed hand and-

Benjamin stirred his eyes, growling slightly. His head hurt and his vision was blurry, the blow must have made him unconscious. Benjamin was really getting annoyed by this mess. Why was he here, why did the fish want that Mange-thing to experiment on him. And most importantly, how could he get back home?  
" Now now Karbunkle it's not that bad" Mange's voice said, Benjamin shook his head and saw that ugly face staring at him once again.  
" How do you know my name?" he spat out, without really thinking about his actions. As a result, he got a slapped to his cheek.  
" Simple, Half-Breed, I looked at your ID" Mange said and held up Benjamin's passport, the teen felt embarrassed.

Mange looked at Benjamin, grinning like a madman, making the teen even more nervous. The boy wasn't really top quality, it was scrawny, awkward looking. But then again, what adolescent creature wouldn't have been? It's hair was messy, clothes looked cheap and it had no other fur but that on it's head. Strange, usually even half-xenans were well kept and rich. So, this was a true bastard child, maybe result of a rape. Mange gave out a loud laugh, oh how he wished he would have been there. Then he turned his attention to the half-breed.  
" All right Karbunkle, welcome to the scout ship Vinegar, I'm Mange, the head scientist. And, as from this day on, you are my lab assistant, and if you don't comply, my test subject" he said, making a stern face at the boy.


	3. Chapter 3

Lord Oltterman wasn't really in the mood for the High Chairman Valio to call him, but that didn't stop his second cousin from doing it. Life on Plutark was getting hectic to say the least, resources were almost empty, and even the aristocrats had to steal for living. Oltterman hated it; once Plutark had been one one the richest planets in the cosmos, and now it was nothing more than a planet full of thiefs. The royal families too had started to fall, Limburger went first and his own was close to become the next. Oltterman was woken from his trance by Valio's roar.

"Oltterman! You have better figure out a way for us to survive, or you and your perverted doctor can say goodbye to your positions!" the old fish howled, hanging up on Oltterman. The captain of the ship sighed. There wasn't really much hope left if Mange of all people was the only one to save Plutark.

Benjamin on the other hand was busy scrubbing Mange's surgical tools. He had always washed the dishes at home, but this was a bit different. One scalpel looked like it was growing blood stains, and there was one very moldy needle.

"Karbunkle, stop staring at them and wash them, will you?" Mange hissed. Benjamin nodded and started scrubbing vigorously. The insect smiled and continued to work on something that looked like a gold colored cannon from a science fiction movie. Though it was only logical to Benjamin, he now WAS in a science fiction movie. It had been a full week now from the day he was 'beamed' to this ship, and it seemed like nothing could ever again surprise him. Instead, he strangely felt curious about everything. Back home, he had been studying how his reading lamp worked, now Mange had promised that he would get to do real research. Benjamin's feelings towards the promise were mixed, Mange seemed to be the type to keep its promises, but then again...

The silence of the laboratory was broken when Oltterman arrived, looking huffy and about to explode by the looks of things. Mange looked up lazily from the cannon when his overlord stormed beside him.

"Stop looking at me like that if you value your life, Mange, I've got a job for you and your little assistant", Oltterman growled and Mange stood up, but his expression didn't change. He nibbled his pink hair while listening to Lord Oltterman's request. Karbunkle, who had snaked behind him, made a whimper when it heard Oltterman's request.

"Sir, shouldn't we just find or conquer another planet instead of wasting valuable gold in hopes of _maybe _finding a way to preserve Plutark? The planet is done for!" Mange protested, Oltterman shook his head.

"Belive me, I don't like this either, but Valio's words are orders", the fish said grimly. Mange bowed slightly and walked towards his worktable, kicking Karbunkle in the knee while doing it.


	4. Chapter 4

To understand Dr.Mange of the flagship Vinegar, one needed to be either a thrill seeker like him or criminally insane. Benjamin was neither of them, but he had noticed a pattern which the insect operated on. Well, he and sub-captain Gouda. Gouda was a rare case of a plutarkian soldier, he was only 19 cycles old, and that had made him a regular customer in Mange's lab. And not in a good way either, Gouda suffered from a huge wound in his stomach. He told Benjamin it was caused by something called "Martian Sand Raider". Because there were so few men on Vinegar, Gouda was forced to stay on duty, and to have Mange inspect his wound daily. Mange hated it, finding a solution for the case Plutark was taking enough time as it was, but tending a cocky soldier was enough to make the insect throw hissyfits and take his anger on Benjamin. Not that the teen would mind these days, which was slightly disturbing to Mange. The boy had almost ceased completely from missing his home, and was now spending inspecting every aspect of the ship curiously. The change in the boy had been so great that Mange did few psychology test on him, just to be sure. 

Not that Mange was in any stretch the sanest of the crew. Due some strange event in his past, the doctor had taken on living a life of pure enjoyment. For the East German born Benjamin, Mange's voyeur behavior was confusing and slightly annoying too. But who it annoyed the most was Laura Limburger. The female Plutarkian was truly getting tired of the pestering insect, and only put up with Mange because of Oltterman. But even Mange knew better than pester the woman too much. There was a rumour floating around the ship about a unfortunate captain that had decided to annoy Laura little too much. Next day he found his bed and cabin full of earth pig heads, and later got sick because his soup was spiced with arsenic. He should have never messed the the ship's both the cook and the weapon specialist. This double profession could have made a lesser woman seem mixed, but it fit Laura terrifyingly well. Some soldiers even said she was the third in command of the ship. Benjamin wasn't as afraid of her as he was surprised how could a woman handle such a job well, also a result from his Terran origin.

" You know Karbunkle, I think Valio is purposely leading us astray" Mange muttered to the teen one day, this came out of the blue for Benjamin.  
" H-how so sir?" he asked, Mange turned his bug eyes towards him and sighed.  
" We are the only line of defense between Plutark and Mars, and as you know..those martian rodents have caused hella lotta damage to us...I bet Valio is taking bribes from those Mice!" he growled, crumbling the plan he had held in his hand. Benjamin thought about it, yeah, he had seen it happen in his home planet, but a treachery like this.  
" Likely possible sir, money talks in this universe" he said, Mange burst out laughing, it wasn't a nice laugh. The alien shook his head and looked at his plan. It could work.

" Are sure Mange, Valio is not going to swallow it nicely if your plan is a fiasco" Oltterman asked his chief scientist. Mange nodded.  
" This synthetic water acts as a between-er when combining two different ground-types. In example, combine martian mud with plutarkian one, pour this in, and you have a perfectly fine plutarkian mud" Mange explained, his voice unusually stern.  
" Is there in your mind Mange, you don't seem as insane as you normally do" Oltterman said, Mange snickered and shook his head.  
" No my lord, I'm just happy we can finally revive Plutark to it's former glory" the scientist laughed. Then a almost scaleless hand was placed on his shoulder, Mange looked up into the yellow eyes of General Fiske. Mange wasn't the best person to tell how one felt by looking into their eyes, but Fiske's eyes were sad. Then the general turned his attention to Oltterman.  
" My lord, are you absolutely sure this is the only option? I don't wanna lose more men to those rats than I already have" he said, Oltterman gave the general a warm smile.  
" Don't worry General, we only need to take one football-field of earth, I'm sure you can do it" the old fish said, Fiske bowed and ran to ready his men to the invasion. Invasion to Mars.


	5. Chapter 5

While Benjamin had never been in a war, his grandfather had, and he remembered the old man telling him how people flied like rag dolls when the bombs went off. It sounded truly interesting when told, but when one saw it happen before their eyes, it was really something. Of course, one could also file it down with the teen being slightly disturbed. He watched as Fiske commanded the young troops to secure the area they were going to dig up. Easier said than done, couple untrained fishes against trained warriors of the martian army wasn't fair. Benjamin hear the young ones scream from his hiding place located in a small room they had dug deep into the ground. He was scared out of his wits, who on earth thought this plan would even work in _theory_, let alone in real practise.  
" Hey Karbunkle! Stop shaking and come and help me stitch this one!" Mange shouted from surgery table, trying desperately to save another soldier from coming home in a coffin. Benjamin shook his head slightly from the repulsive smell of Plutarkian intestines and went to help Mange.

Two hours later, most of the fighting had ceased, and another patch of wounded soldiers lied on the makeshift hospital beds. Oltterman and Fiske also had suffered from the battle. Mange and Karbunkle had their hands full of work when Laura informed them the lunch was ready. Mange watches as Karbunkle ran to eat, the boy looked slightly sick, which was no wonder considering how well the battle had gone. The scientist sat down on the ground and lit his cigarette, causing a orchestra of angry voices to scream him to put it out. Mange hissed and threw the damn thing to the ground, muttering. Karbunkle sat happily next to him, wolfing the soup down like it was the end of the world. Mange smiled a twisted smile, if they didn't succeed, it really was for Plutark.  
" Sir, what happens after we have completed this mission?" the teen piped out suddenly, causing Mange almost jump out from his lab coat. The insect looked at the teen for a while, man it was still a horrible shrimp, only real change was that it now wore real lab coat and goggles. The goggles weren't exactly what one would call aesthetic, neon green and with pitch black lenses. They looked more likely to be found in a very bad early 70s reunion than on a scientist. But they strangely fit the teen, terrifyingly well in fact.  
" Well, once we get back to Plutark, we use the land to recover the planet. Then, if we are lucky, we shall be called heroes. What happen to you after that, well, you probably get a place in the university, so you can follow in my footsteps.." Mange said, his voice trailing off a bit, Karbunkle watched his mentor in wonder.  
" So... I don't get to go back to earth?" the teen asked, Mange shook his head and gave Karbunkle a smile.  
" Why would you want to, on earth you are nothing, while in here you are my protege" the scientist said, Karbunkle's face suddenly lit up and the teen grinned.

Twenty six years after Plutark had gotten it's first ground transplant, things were very different from what they once had been. It was almost amusingly ironic to Karbunkle, Oltterman, rest in peace, had hoped to revive Plutark back to it's former glory. That's not what had happened, no, in fact Plutarkians realized how easy it was to just steal land from other planets, instead of trying to preserve what they now had. After Camembert had risen on the High Chairman seat, the first thing they had done was to get rid of the 'old fogies' as they called the crew of Vinegar. Oltterman went first, Mange followed close behind and nobody knew what happened to Fiske. Only three member survived, Gouda by constantly teetering on the edge of death, Laura by getting married, thus quitting her jobs. And Karbunkle himself by sucking up to his new masters. His life hadn't been fine since Mange died, thought he hated to admit it, he had cared about the crazy insect. Switching overlords constantly wasn't helping, one year in Venus, second one in Pluto and now, under Dominic T. Stilton on Mars. Not that Stilton wasn't a capable leader, not at all, the fish was truly a master in his game. No, it was Karbunkle himself. He was getting on age, or, so he felt. 47 wasn't much, but two years under Stilton were straining to say the least. After this planet, he promised himself, he was retiring.

Besides the straining life he had lived in recent years, Karbunkle had kept his optimism intact. So it was truly hard for him to hide his amusement when Stilton announced that young Lawrence Limburger would join them. The fish looked absolutely nothing like his mother had, but some of her strange behaviours had found their way onto the youth. Unfortunately, Limburger wasn't the type of person Karbunkle worked gladly with, the fish had way too bloated ego and thoughts of itself to Karbunkle's liking.

Just this one planet, then I'm off from this hell, he told himself.


	6. Extra Chapter Soda Pop

Alien Invasion: Soda pop.

There were diners that reminded you of your trip with your parents to grandmas' place. Happy, cheerfull music, good food. This one wasn't one of those, it was darkly lit, not that it mattered in the painfully bright sunshine which was double by the huge windows. And the waitress looked like she had a stubble. So it was truly rare to find three students from the Academy, chatting in one corner table.

" So Benjamin, ach heard juu were goinz to join lord Stilton in Venus as hiz head scientizt" said a plumb young woman in thick East German accent, looking at a very dreamy looking youth, who was currently chewing his straw in thought. The one called Benjamin turned his gaze slowly towards the woman, and looked at her puzzled.

" Karbunkle! Wake up!" came the voice of the third student, a sharktoothed brownhaired man few years youger than his companions. Benjamin snapped from his thoughts immeadiadly.

" Huh? Wha? ..Oh, sorry, I was just thinking about the last exam we had" the sandyhaired youth said, laughing nervously.The two other students stared at each other in confusion, this was not like Benjamin at all. Benjamin noticed it and decided to change the subject.

" Man, it's taking forever with those drinks hasn't it" he said, looking at the general direction of the kitchen. The other two nodded, this wasn't the best place to go, but the other ones were crammed with upperclass students, and in Plutark it meant a food fight. For immigrants like these three, it was just better to stay away from the amazing flying brocolli pie.

Finally, their drinks arrived, one weird looking bloodred one for Benjamin, one icy blue one for the young woman ( known from this point as Minny), and one coke in a can for..

Benjamin's mind made a arrupt stop, wait, coke in a ican/i .

" NO Cody do-"

bPOOOOOP/b

After the explosion, the corner was filled with coke and pieaces of the tin can. Cody looked around frantically, the waitress was okay, she didn't even look suprised. Minny had hidden under the table, that left only Benjamin.

"Erhem" came the nasal voice of the said person, Cody looked in the direction of the sound, and found himself trying to stiffle a laughter. Benjamin sat there, covered in coke, half of the can sitting on his head like a overly small tophat. And if looks could kill, Cody would have been killed instantly.

" Dear corroding friend of mine, as much as I respect your amazing skill, and your ability to use it when we are in trouble.." Benjamin said, his voice failing to hide the level of his annoyance. Cody swallowed, took few steps back and started running. Benjamin jumped from his seat to pursue the corroder.

" REMEMBER YOU HAVE IT!!" the scientist-to-be finished. The duo ran to the sunset.


End file.
